13 Pieces of Advice to the incoming freshman

I know summer just started. But with orientation and buying things for college and college countdowns, it'll be here sooner than you think. I have just finished my freshman year and there is some advice that I would give to the incoming freshman. Some of this advice will be about friendships, dorm life, classes, social life and so on. This is advice to the incoming freshman, from an outgoing freshman.

1. You don't need everything you think you need.

Take it from someone who brought too much to school their first year. You do not need all the things you think you need. And if you forget something or need something, you can buy it or have someone bring it to you or have it shipped to you. I know you want to bring everything because you are away from your house, but trust me you do not need that sequin dress you begged your mom to bring.

2. You will make friends and you will find your home.

Trust me. You will find your friends. Whether it be from your dorm, a club, class or just talking to someone in the dining hall, you will find your friends. You will also find your home, whether it be on a sports team, in a club, in your major or in greek life. It will happen, so don't worry.

3. Go to every class.

I know sometimes you just want to hit snooze and go back to sleep, but your grades will thank you later on when you go to every class and take the notes you need and pass the class with no problem. You paid for them, so why not just go.

4. You don't have to be friends with your roommate.

Of course, it is always nice to be friends with your roommate. But remember, if you are not friends with your roommate, it's not the end of the world. If I'm being completely honest, I only really became friends with my roommate later on in the year and we were fine. I went random, and even if you pick your roommate, you just have to live with them.

5. There are people and resources to help you.

If you need help, go get help. There are so many people and resources to help you, and if you go looking for help, you will find it. Trust me, you are not the only one to need help and that's why colleges have so many resources. Use them, especially if you need them!

6. You don't have to eat in the dining hall all the time.

If you want to go out once a month with your friends to a nice restaurant, by all means, do it. You should use your meal plan, but you do not have to endure that every single day for the whole semester.

7. You don't have to go out to eat all the time.

I know not everyone is going to have a kitchen. You most likely paid for a meal plan, so you should use it. I'm sure you will find at least one thing to eat in the dining hall. You do not have to go out all the time and your wallet will thank you.

8. Go out and party every once in a while.

If you want to go out on the weekends and take a break from school for a night and have fun, go do it! It is so okay to go out with your friends and have fun for one night and just forget the world for a little while.

9. You don't have to party every day, and you do not have to go to every party.

It is okay to stay in one night, especially if you have to study. It is okay to go out and party, but you do not have to go to every party and you do not have to party every day. It is so okay to stay in and get what you need done, especially if it is to take time for you or your schoolwork.

11. It is okay to say no.

12. You matter and your opinions matter.

Your opinions matter. That's why they're opinions and not facts. No one can tell you they're wrong and that they don't matter. You matter. You matter so much to everyone you meet and everyone's life would be different without you and don't let anyone make you feel like you do not matter.

13. Take time for you.

It is very important for you to take time for yourself and do what you love. If you have to take a day and just stay away from everyone and do a face mask and read a book, do it. Sometimes I just like to put on a face mask, lock myself in my room and binge watch The Office on Netflix.

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Frat boys always need to make sure everyone around them knows just how "fratty" they are. This versatile stick can go on a laptop, car, water bottle, or practically anywhere their little hearts desire.

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Profit Over The People

Diversity comes in various forms; whether it be culturally or fiscally, there are several ways to identify people as similar or different. The city of Miami, FL loves to advertise its diversity when it comes to attracting tourists, yet it is choosing profit over its people.

Nov 19, 2018

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The google definition for gentrification is "the process of renovating and improving a house or district so that it conforms to middle-class taste." Which seems extremely palatable, but the gross and harsh reality is that gentrification is the destruction of housing in impoverished areas to then construct neighborhoods of higher value. And in that process, the homes, memories, and culture of those areas are erased off the face of the earth as if they never existed.

The residents of these homes do receive compensation for giving up their homes, but not nearly enough to find an alternative housing solution. This has been the case for the city of Miami for quite some time now; placing shopping malls and luxury condominiums on top of the memories and homes of families that have resided in the same area for decades on end.

According to the 2015 and 2016 census, Miami ranks second worst in the nation for income and poverty levels, yet officials deem it appropriate to further the expansion of luxury living and attraction by ridding of the low-income communities. The homeless population in the city of Miami has been a major concern for years; but instead of addressing said issue, they are simply contributing to it by further permitting these expansions to occur.

These construction projects not only contribute to pre-existing traffic problem in the city of Miami due to overpopulation but leaves those who once had a home, out on the streets. There is a total of 179,200 households in Miami-Dade County, 44% of those house children under the age of 18 years old and the household poverty rate in Miami- Dade County was 21.3%, according to the 2013 ACS.

What are the odds of there being households that fall under both of those categories; not only is gentrification putting paying citizens out on the streets, but their children as well.

Allowing the private agendas of public officials affect our neighbors in such a manner is merciless. A large part of Miami consists of low-income areas, yet they have been falling off the map little by little over time. They are starting from the bottom up, and what once was considered a middle-class community will soon be deemed a low-income area in comparison to new structures.

When will it stop? The living expenses in Miami are already unmanageable, but if this continues Miami will soon lose all of its original residences and cultures. Left in the remains of a once culturally thriving and accepting community will be a playground for the wealthy, built on the soil of what used to be home to a culturally, economically and experientially diverse community.

The unfortunate matter is that this isn't only happening in the city of Miami, but in various large cities across the country. Pushing low-income housing off the map, contributing to the homeless population, to then drive initiatives to relocate the homeless if they are found in affluent neighborhoods.

How can one rise to the occasion in hopes of creating a better life, if they are constantly being pushed down by institutionalized prevention? Gentrification is a national issue; a country that prides itself on opportunity and progress is slowly evolving into a country for the wealthy.